Mentors

Dobes&Hounds · 09-16-2008, 11:48 PM

Just throwing out a topic for discussion. For those of you who have mentors in the Doberman breed, what advice or knowledge have they given you that you have found to be true or useful?
Two things stand out from the people that mentored (and still do) me. The first one is "when choosing a Doberman puppy, try to select the best mind in the best body". When I watch litter gradings now, my picks are somewhat different than other people's because of this. I realize not everyone gets to choose a puppy, but I am at a point in the breed that I know what I want to see.
The other thing that stands out in my mind is "when you evaluate dogs, try to find the good in them, it's easy to find fault" This was made in reference to watching conformation, however I apply it to other venues as well. Very sound advice. They all have some merit, and even when you lose to a dog you think looked or performed poorly, find something positive to say. Also, remember that *most* of the dogs are somebody's beloved. Saying "that dog was a piece of shit" can hurt someone's feelings... and it's not fair to the dog. They are what they are.
Ok, Imma done. Anyone else care to share handed down knowledge?

MaryAndDobes · 09-17-2008, 12:28 AM

A couple of things come to mind that have stuck in my brain, not necessarily from people that I might consider mentors but anyone can say something kind of profound and "sticky" for me to chew on.

One is that we'll never go forward standing still. Simple, eh? That came at a time that I was really frustrated about something health related, I think. Often, the tendency is to just want to stop. And that's when this person told me that we will never solve the breed's problems by not breeding.

A stud dog owner told us once that it can be a good thing to sell your best. I really fought against that one at the time because I thought the goal of responsible breeding was to keep the best and go on with it. I still mostly think that. But there are people who could take my best and do better with it than I can. As long as they have similar ideals to my own.

I'll never forget being told this: Mary, if you keep health testing those dogs, you might find something. LOL! Uh, isn't that the point of doing it?

**velmadobe** · 09-17-2008, 09:12 AM

I'm still being mentored and I hope I never get so big for my britches that I think I have nothing left to learn - LOL!

With my litter of puppies, one of my mentors said to me "sell from the table, but buy from the floor" meaning you should always watch a litter of puppies just running around on the floor being puppies - you can learn a lot about them just from observing them.

I'll never forget Lois' Silva from Brazil standing out in my freezing PA back yard in February in just his shirt sleeves watching my puppies moving around - he picked Harvard from the ground.... and then got the heck out of the freezing cold - LOL! Then we stacked them on the table after that - indoors

I will also say that learning not to just fault judge is hard, because as a newbie, we learn to find the faults almost to the exclusion of the good stuff. Standing ringside with a truly experienced person is a great gift - they all add their own wisdom to the experience.

kirk180 · 09-17-2008, 09:31 AM

Ripleys foster parent mentored me when she said "Only fill his water bowl halfway. This boys the messiest drinker you ever did see." You know something? She was right.

My mom once told me "If you don't have your health, you don't have shit." She didn't have her health. RIP mom.

Oh yeah! And I once read a quote that I thought was pretty cool. It went like this: "It's not the event in life that bothers man, but rather his own interpretation of it." Seems pretty simple huh? Don't let it bother you, and it wont.

As far as Dobie Mentors go...I get most my info from my Dobie training neighbor that's always had a dobe, and from reading post from people like you. Thanks DObermantalk.com

**Luvbirds59** · 09-17-2008, 10:36 AM

A little OT...but I have a behind the scenes mentor on this board who has helped me many times over with all sorts of Petey problems, and info about the Doberman breed. I owe a lot to her for the vast knowledge she has shared with me over the last eighteen months. Because of her help, Petey WILL end up a good well trained boy. She knows who she is....and I want to thank her.

Carol
ox

**doberkim** · 09-17-2008, 06:07 PM

I don't have a conf. or a breeding mentor necessarily (though Berlin's breeder certainly is that, but I am still very new at that!), but I have obedience mentors and I'm still soaking up everything they tell me -

but most important is -
"My dog is only as good as I demand he be" - if I expect perfection from him he will give it. If i settle for less from him, he will give me less.

Dobes&Hounds · 09-18-2008, 11:33 AM

It's kinda sad that there aren't more people being mentored by people who have been in the breed forever. I thought certainly there would be more conversation. Oh well.

**Luvbirds59** · 09-18-2008, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doberkim

but most important is -
"My dog is only as good as I demand he be" - if I expect perfection from him he will give it. If i settle for less from him, he will give me less.

Ohhhhhh.....Kim! I LOVE this! I am going to try and have this mentality at my next OB training class!

Carol
ox

**Tess-a-boo** · 09-18-2008, 12:29 PM

Tess's breeder is our mentor. We're first-time Doberparents and are never afraid to ask her for advice.

As we left her house that first night with Tess she told us: "Your life will never be the same." It's incredible just how true that is...for so many reasons, I can't even begin to list!

For training: "keep her wanting to be with you and make yourself more fun than anything else." It's definitely harder than it sounds.

And when Tess acts up, I have to remind myself of when we were told that spirited dogs with personality are easier to train and how a fun-loving and challenging personality is one that true Doberman people love. I just have to keep repeating that over and over like a mantra...lol!

Reds · 09-18-2008, 12:58 PM

I have several mentors.....they just don't know it!

There are several members here on DT who's comments/opinions I read very carefully, as they have offered me so much incite about the breed, showing, training, pedigrees, health issues, and all that goes along with owning a doberman. I have learned so much from them. I'm not going to list their names, but I say thank you!

I am so glad that there are many people on this forum who have 20 plus years with the breed, and are willing to voice their feelings on such a large range of topics. I hope they stick around for a long time to come, as I feel I have so much more to learn.

I'm quite sad that my boys breeder isn't really someone that could or should mentor me, but that is my fault for not doing more research prior to buying them. Thanks to DT, it's a mistake I will not make when I get my next dog.